THEY REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH: How Christians Open Themselves to Lying & Deceptive Spirits

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth . . . (II Thess. 2:9-10; NIV).

Are “Spirit-filled” Christians opening the door to lying and deceptive spirits by their reckless handling of the truth? Consider the following facts.

A Christian leader, whose book had just been pulled because the publisher discovered that his testimony of being delivered from Satanism was greatly exaggerated, defended his actions explaining that it is OK to “embellish” one’s story in order to make the gospel more attractive: Shortly after 911 a well-known “prophet” declared on national TV that Bin Laden would be found within 35 days. When, months later, he was confronted by the fact that it did not happen, he sought to justify himself saying that he had not stated what point the 35 days was from: A TV evangelist, who was discovered using an earpiece to receive “words of knowledge” from his wife about people in the audience, justified his actions saying it built people’s faith and helped them receive from God: In a recent high profile “revival” it was reported that over 30 people had been raised from the dead, but when Christian journalists sought to interview some of them, not a single one could be found: A well-known pastor and worship leader received both sympathy and money while faking terminal cancer for two years, even appearing in concert with an oxygen tank and a tube in his nose before finally confessing it was all a hoax. And the list goes on.

A Cavalier Approach to Truth
Opens the Door to Deception

Such cavalier handling of truth seems to be rampant in charismatic circles. Such behavior, however, is spiritually dangerous. Both Old and New Testaments reveal that “fudging” or compromising truth opens one to lying and deceptive spirits. In speaking of the rampant deception that will be characteristic of the last days, Paul, in II Thess. 2:9-11, says that those who are deceived will perish because they refused to love the truth (NIV). Those who do not love the truth find themselves defenseless against the “father of lies” (Jn. 8:44).

An Old Testament Example

This principle is clearly borne out in the O.T. account of 400 prophets being deceived by a lying spirit because they were willing to “fudge” the truth for personal gain.

In I Kings 22 Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, asks Jehoshaphat, the righteous king of Judah, to go to battle with him against the Syrians. Jehoshaphat agrees but suggests that they first inquire of the Lord through the prophets concerning the matter. Ahab agrees and sends for his 400 court prophets who are probably products of the “school of the prophets,” often referred to in the O.T. as the “sons of the prophets” or the “company of prophets.”

Politicized Prophets

We are not told how the “school of the prophets” began and Scripture neither affirms nor condemns the school. Some believe it was begun by Samuel to prepare young men for prophetic ministry. Nonetheless, it is clear that, through the “school of the prophets,” prophetic ministry was professionalized and became a vocation by which the prophet made his living. Some were hired by the wealthy and kings kept many in their courts as advisers and to inquire of them concerning the mind of the Lord. As a result, prophetic ministry became politicized with many of these “prophets” yielding to the pressure to prophesy that which would please those in power, from whom they also received their livelihood. Their willingness to compromise truth opened them to lying spirits.

At Ahab’s command, these 400 “school of the prophets” graduates come before the two kings. They all declare the same message. The two kings are to go out against the Syrians for God will give them a great victory. There is even a prophetic drama as one of the prophets, Zedekiah, takes horns of iron and declares, Thus says the LORD (Yahweh), with these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed (22:11).

A Prophet Who Will Not Compromise Truth

Jehoshaphat apparently did not feel settled with what he was hearing and asked Ahab if there was not another prophet from whom they could inquire. Ahab sullenly replied that there was one more by the name of Micaiah, but I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil (22:8). Ah, here is a prophet who is committed to truth and will not compromise even when it offends the king. He is no political prophet. He is not trying to impress anyone. He is committed to truth.

At Jehoshaphat’s insistence, Ahab calls for Micaiah. The messenger who goes for Micaiah informs him that the 400 prophets are all in agreement and exhorts him to let his word agree with theirs, i.e., to get in unity with the other prophets. Micaiah replies that he will speak whatever word the Lord may give him. We must remember that our ultimate goal is not unity, but conformity to Christ who is Truth personified. True Biblical unity is always built on truth.

A Lying Spirit Released
Into the Mouths of the Prophets

Micaiah arrives and after a brief exchange with Ahab relates an astounding vision he has seen. Micaiah says he saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of heaven standing by. He heard the Lord say, Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall [die] at Ramoth Gilead (22:20). Different ones offered suggestions, but then a spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets (22:22). Micaiah then heard the Lord say to the spirit, You shall persuade him and also prevail. Go and do so (22:22). Micaiah then declared to Ahab, Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you (22:23).

Ahab responded in anger, ordering Micaiah to be imprisoned and fed only bread and water. The other prophets were also offended and Zedekiah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face (22:24). Ahab and Jehoshaphat chose to ignore Micaiah’s word and proceeded into battle where Ahab was killed and the armies of Israel and Judah were forced to withdraw.

How did a lying spirit find its way into the mouths of these prophets who prophesied in the name of the God of Israel? There is no question that their willingness to fudge the truth for personal and political gain opened the door. It still happens today.

It Still Happens Today

I remember a Christian leader, whom I greatly respected, tell about attending a meeting where the evangelist was, reportedly, functioning in the gifts of the Spirit in a remarkable way, particularly in prophecy and the word of knowledge. He said that the man ministered in an entertaining sort of way revealing personal things about people in the congregation, even telling one man the brand of cigarettes he had hidden in his pocket. But, while observing this, he heard a voice on the inside say “familiar spirit.” The voice was so clear that he instinctively looked around to see if someone next to him had spoken, but realized it was the Holy Spirit alerting him that this was a familiar spirit at work. Knowing something of the man’s background and ministry, he realized the man had built his ministry, not on the word of God and truth, but on the sensational gifts of the Spirit. When the gift was not operating (I Cor. 12:11 says these gifts operate as the Spirit wills), this man, to please the crowds, had sought to operate it in his own flesh. This involved being less than honest, and his playing fast and loose with the truth had opened the door to a familiar/lying spirit.

Closing the Door on Satan

There has been so much reckless twisting of truth and so much gullibility in charismatic circles that I have wondered if some of us may not be among the first to embrace the anti-Christ when he comes on the scene. Deception gives birth to more deception. Speaking of the great deception of the last days, Paul tells the consequences for those who refuse to love the truth. He says, For this reason [not loving truth] God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness (II Thess. 2:11-12; NIV).

We can close the door on lying and deceptive spirits by loving truth. Satan traffics in lies and deceptions, for this is his only means of power and control. This is why Jesus said in Jn. 8:31-32, If you continue in My word, you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. When we love and walk in truth, there is no place for Satan in our lives.

Hear the words of Paul in II Cor. 4:2-5 concerning his commitment to integrity and truth. This statement is a wonderful guide that we should all utilize. What a difference it would make in the body of Christ today. Paul says,

We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God . . . For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (NIV).

A video presentation of this message is available at www.eddiehyatt.com/media/LovingTruth.wmv.

WHY I STILL BELIEVE IN HELL

1. It is Biblical
2. It is reasonable and just
3. It is a necessary expression of God’s love
4. It has been confirmed again and again by the Holy Spirit

I recently received an email from a person in another state asking my thoughts on “hell.” She went on to explain that many of her Christian friends have dispensed with the idea of hell and have chided her for being “stuck in religion” for believing in such an old fashioned doctrine. Indeed, many evangelicals are giving up the doctrine of hell as a place of eternal punishment, arguing that such a belief is not consistent with a God whose chief characteristic is unconditional love. In my own city of Tulsa, Oklahoma one of the most popular Pentecostal-Charismatic preachers in America, Carlton Pearson, has publicly renounced his belief in hell and now preaches that everyone will go to heaven, an old heresy known as universalism. In this essay I will argue, to the contrary, that eternal punishment is a necessary expression of God’s love; that it is Biblical; that it is reasonable and just; and that the Holy Spirit has confirmed this doctrine throughout the history of the Church.

Reason #1
It is Biblical

Jesus talked about hell and warned His hearers to make every effort to avoid the place. Paul and other Biblical writers also warn their readers of the reality of hell as a place of punishment. In the KJV there are two Greek words that are both translated as “hell,” hades and ghenna. The NKJV correctly makes the distinction by translating hades as “Hades” and ghenna as “hell.” Whereas hades seems to be the location of the departed spirits of the dead, ghenna is the final condemnation and punishment of the unrepentant who persist in their rebellion against God.

Hades, as the place of the departed spirits of those who have died, corresponds to Sheol in the Old Testament. It is the word that is used by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31 in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This story is probably not a mere parable since personal names are attached to the different individuals. One thing the story teaches is that both the rich man and Lazarus were conscious in the after life, one in Paradise and the other in torment in Hades. Another thing we see is that the rich man could see Abraham and Lazarus in Paradise, but could not cross over to them. This, no doubt, added to his torment. Hades is also the word used in Matt. 16:18 where Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. In Rev. 20:14, at the end of the millennium, death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, or ghenna.

The ghenna (hell) was a garbage dump south of Jerusalem where fires were continually burning. In the New Testament, ghenna is used metaphorically of the place of condemnation or punishment in the next life. It is the word used by Jesus in Matt. 5:30 where, to emphasize the horror of final condemnation, He exhorts His hearers that if their right hand causes them to stumble (or sin) to cut it off since it would be better to have only one hand in this life than to have two hands and be thrown into ghenna. This word is also used by Jesus in Matt. 10:28 where He exhorts His listeners to not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but to fear Him who has the authority to cast both soul and body into ghenna. Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon, the lexicon of choice by students of New Testament Greek, defines ghenna as "the place of punishment in the next life."

Some have questioned whether this punishment is eternal by arguing that the Greek word aionios, translated “eternal” and “everlasting,” actually refers to a long, but finite period of time. While it is true that the noun, aion, is sometimes translated “age” in reference to a period of long duration, the adjective, aionios, almost always refers to that which is eternal or without end. This is borne out by the fact that it is used throughout the New Testament to describe the gift of “eternal” (aionios) life to those who believe in Christ. In Rom. 16:26 Paul uses it in referring to God Himself as the everlasting (aionios) God. The same word is used throughout the New Testament to describe the state of the wicked, i.e., eternal punishment.

It is thus used in Matt. 25:46 where Jesus tells of the final judgment where a separation is made of the wicked to His left hand and the righteous to His right. Referring to the final state of both groups, Jesus says, And these [the wicked] will go away into eternal (aionios) punishment, but the righteous into eternal (aionios) life. If aionios means “everlasting” in regards to the life that comes from God, then it must carry the same meaning when used of the punishment of the wicked for they are obvious parallel expressions. Paul uses the same adjective, aionios, in II Thessalonians 1:9 where he describes the dire state of the wicked when Christ returns,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These will be punished with everlasting (aionios) destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

Reason #2
It is Reasonable & Just

It is self-evident that a person who commits a crime must be penalized with a punishment that is commensurate with the crime committed. For example, a person with no record who exceeds the speed limit by 5 miles per hour and is sentenced to a year in the county jail and a $10,000.00 fine is not being treated justly. We would rightfully be outraged at such a travesty of justice. The punishment is not commensurate with the crime committed. To use another example, suppose a sexual predator rapes, tortures and murders an innocent child. He is found guilty on all counts and then the judge sentences him to 6 months probation, a $500.00 fine, and lets him go free. We would not say, “Oh, what a loving and merciful judge he is.” No! We would be outraged and would demand that judge’s removal from the bench. The punishment must fit the crime.

In our finite thinking we cannot imagine the magnitude of sin. Sin is not just a finite injustice against a fellow human being; it is an infinite sin against our infinite Creator. God placed our first parents, Adam and Eve, in a wonderful paradise. They rebelled against Him and His righteous commands and went their own way. All their posterity has followed in their path of rebellion against God. As Paul says in Romans 3:10-18, There is none righteous, no, not one . . . they have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable . . . there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Because sin is infinite, it required an infinite remedy. God Himself, therefore, took on human form in the person of Jesus Christ and provided the redemption necessary to deal with the sin of all humankind. It is in Jesus Christ that the love and mercy of God is revealed toward the human race. It is also in Jesus Christ that the justice of God is maintained for Christ bore the just punishment that was due every sinner. In fact, Paul clearly says in Rom. 3:25-26 that the death of Christ was a demonstration of God’s justice and, as a result, He now can be both just and the justifier of those who put their faith in Christ.

This, however, intensifies the guilt of those who reject the infinite mercy God has shown in the person of Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews expressed it in these terms,
Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot and counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:28-29).

Reason #3
It is a Necessary Expression of God’s Love

Consider again the example of a wicked man who is found guilty of torturing, raping and killing an innocent child; who is then released by a judge on probation and the payment of a minimal fine. We would not say “Oh what a wonderful, loving judge he is.” No! We would rightfully be outraged because justice, you see, is a necessary attribute of love. There is no real love without the proper element of justice. The inhabitants of heaven, who see more clearly the ghastly ramifications of sin, would be rightfully horrified if rebels against God and His righteous government were allowed to go unpunished.

The well known 19th century revivalist, Charles Finney, who was a converted lawyer, preached a message entitled the "The Justice of Eternal Punishment" by which he saw many judges and lawyers converted to Christ. In this message Finney demonstrated that divine justice, involving eternal punishment, is a necessary expression of divine love. In another message entitled “The Guilt of Sin,” Finney pointed out that the end or objective of all sin, whether it is lying, stealing, adultery, etc., is self-gratification. In other words, the act of sin is merely a means to achieve the end of self-gratification. Finney then points out that this choice to gratify self of necessity involves a rejection of God’s infinite interests and that this is where the guilt lies. He said, “In other words, the guilt consists in rejecting the infinitely valuable well being of God and the universe for the sake of selfish gratification” (C. G. Finney, The Guilt of Sin, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1965, 16-17). Finney considered hell to be God’s eternal prison house where incorrigible rebels against God and his kingdom will be confined and not allowed to spoil the eternal bliss and happiness of those who have accepted the free mercy and grace God has shown to us in Jesus Christ. Yes, hell is a necessary expression of God’s amazing grace and love

Reason #4
The Holy Spirit Has Confirmed This Doctrine

There has never been any significant work of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of universalism. I do not know of any example, past or present, in which the preaching of universalism inspired men and women to a greater love for God and a new determination to walk in His truth. On the other hand, preaching on eternal punishment has been a part—even if a small part—of the great revivals of Christian history. In the First Great Awakening, for example, Jonathan Edward’s sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God,” captivated the minds and hearts of the masses. The Holy Spirit fell like rain when he read this message from the pulpit. In the Second Great Awakening sermons on hell and Divine retribution were preached along with messages on God’s redeeming love and grace. The masses were awakened. Finney’s pointed preaching about the Divine justice of eternal punishment turned the hearts and minds of many to Christ and lifted the Church to a new level of commitment and effectiveness. Numerous such examples could be cited from the annals of Christian history and revivalism.

One of the most somber examples comes from the pen of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards, pastor of the Congregational Church in Northampton, MA and one of the most prominent leaders of the First Great Awakening, tells of a wicked and intemperate man coming to him one day in a very solemn state of mind. This man related to Edwards an alarming dream he had experienced the previous night in which he had descended into hell and observed the horrors of that place. He was told, however, that he was being allowed to return to earth on a one-year probation, the condition being that he must change his manner of life during this time or he would have to return at the end of the year. Edwards was solemnly impressed with the man’s dream and assured him that it was a warning from God. Before retiring for the night, Edwards opened his journal and recorded the details of the dream and the date. Edwards said the man seemed to be serious in his new commitment, leaving off the bottle and faithfully attending church. However, before the year had ended the man returned to his former manner of life. One evening, in a drunken state, he turned to descend a set of stairs when he stumbled and pitched headlong down the stairs breaking his neck and dying instantly. When Edwards was informed of the tragic news he opened his journal and somberly noted that that very evening was exactly one year from the time the man had experienced the dream of his one-year probation from hell.

I rest my case.

POLITICS, POWER & PRIDE: How American Evangelicals Lost the Culture War and the Way Forward From Here

Evangelicals may finally be realizing that political activism is not the path to preserving the Christian character and culture of America. After 30 years of the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition and the religious right, America, last November, elected what are probably the most liberal president and congress in its history. Since that time 5 states have legalized homosexual marriage and others are poised to follow suit. Chuck Schumer, the influential, liberal senator from New York, gleefully declared that, “All this talk about family and traditional values is a thing of the past.” In the midst of all this, Dr. James Dobson, whom many would consider the most prominent voice of the religious right, solemnly announced, “We (evangelical Christians) have lost the culture war.”

Although this turn of events is disturbing for evangelical Christians, this could be the starting point for a national awakening unto God; but only if we admit our failures and turn from the notion that we can change America by our own efforts, political or otherwise.

We (Evangelicals) Have Been Wrong

Please understand that I am not suggesting that we should not be good citizens and participate in the political process; nor am I suggesting that God does not call some to civil service and statesmanship. But I am convinced that evangelical Christians in America crossed the line in trying to change America through political activism. We thought that if we could get enough Christians elected to Congress and elect a Christian president that we would preserve our Christian culture and heritage. Instead, politics, power and pride became characteristic of American evangelicalism, rather than prayer, compassion, humility and spiritual power. We forgot that America has a history of Spiritual awakenings and that this “revival heritage” has been the preserving force of our Christian culture.

God Will Not Ride in on Either an Elephant or a Donkey

Hopefully, some are beginning to realize that God’s purposes for America will not be realized through a political process or political party. As Dr. Tony Evans once said, “God will not ride into our midst on either an elephant (symbol of the Republican party) or a donkey (symbol of the Democrat party).”

In seeking a political solution to our spiritual problems we, as evangelical Christians, identified ourselves with a particular political party and, thereby, alienated ourselves from over half of the American populace. This is not good! Neither Jesus nor the earliest Christians identified themselves with any of the many political parties that were operative in their day; but, instead, preached a transcendent government or kingdom of God that would transform individuals (and thereby society) from within. We need to take a closer look at the New Testament in this area and adjust our thinking accordingly.

Let’s Remember Our Revival Heritage

Spiritual awakenings are an intrinsic part of American history. They are a vital part of who we are as a people. Perry Miller, the late professor of church history at Harvard University, said that the Declaration of Independence of 1776 was a direct result of the preaching of the evangelists of the First Great Awakening. Awakenings such as the First Great Awakening (1726-1750), the Second Great Awakening (1801-1840) and the great Prayer Revival of 1858 have preserved the Christian character of American culture at crucial times in our history. These were not religious excitements generated by the fleshly machinations of professional revivalists, but divine visitations in answer to the fervent, faith-filled prayers of God’s people.

It’s Time For Repentance & Change in the Church

America is in dire need of another national awakening. Such an awakening cannot be organized or strategized by skillful religious marketeers. Such awakenings are conceived in the womb of prayer and given birth through the absolute trust and simple obedience of God’s people.
If evangelical Christians are ready to admit that political activism is not the way to change America, this could be the beginning of our finest hour. If we will repent for our politics, for seeking power and for pride and call out to God with all our hearts, there is no reason why God will not answer with another national Spiritual awakening.

A Prayer For Spiritual Awakening

Here is a prayer that I offer for Spiritual awakening in this hour; and I pray that individuals and groups throughout America will begin to pray prayers such as this.

Oh LORD God, we come to You in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that we have missed the mark in all our efforts to save this nation. We repent of self-reliance and pride, and for imagining that we could make a difference in this nation by our own human efforts and through a mere political process. Oh LORD, we acknowledge that only you can change the heart of this nation and restore to it the fear and honor that belongs to You alone. We pray today that you will turn our hearts to you. Send the fire of your presence, power and love once again to this nation. We pray for another Great Awakening!

For an overview of Spiritual awakenings in America (and the world), see my book, 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity, available at www.amazon.com or www.eddiehyatt.com/bookstore.html.

THE NEW ENTHUSIASTS: Balancing Word & Spirit in an Age of Extremes

This article is derived from Eddie's latest book entitled Revival: Discerning Between the True & the False. Check it out at www.eddiehyatt.com/bookstore.html

Throughout history revival movements have again and again fallen prey to what the ancients called “enthusiasm,” a word coined by Martin Luther in referring to those who had forsaken reason, Scripture and common sense in pursuit of sensational, spiritual experiences. The word then became a common designation for those who mistake their own feelings and imaginations for the work of the Holy Spirit, and exalt their own personal experiences above the revelation found in the word of God.

But who are the enthusiasts today? Read the rest of the article and then tell me what you think.

Luther & the Prophets of Zwickau

While Luther was hiding in the castle at Wartburg after being declared a heretic at the Diet of Worms, a weaver from the town of Zwickau, Nicholas Storch, and two of his friends came to Luther’s hometown of Wittenberg claiming to have experienced divine dreams, visions and visits from the angel Gabriel. They wowed the people with their revelations and began taking the reform movement in Wittenberg in a direction based, not on Scripture, but on their personal, supernatural encounters. When Luther heard what was happening he put his life at risk and returned to Wittenberg and preached a series of eight sermons, showing from Scripture the fallacy of the revelations of the prophets from Zwickau. It soon became obvious to the people of Wittenberg that the prophets were in error and the three departed in humiliation never to return.

It was in his encounter with the Zwickau prophets that Luther coined the term schwarmer or “enthusiast,” which became a designation for those who have forsaken Scripture and common sense in pursuit of sensational, spiritual experiences.

John Wesley Encounters Enthusiasts

Enthusiasts have always been a part of revival movements. Take, for example, the 18th century Methodist revival where spiritual manifestations abounded. Although he valued genuine spiritual manifestations, it is obvious from his Journal that Wesley followed the Biblical admonition to “test the spirits” by applying the standard of Biblical truth in every situation. With Scripture as his yardstick, some experiences received his stamp of approval while others did not. Several people, for example, reported experiencing an overwhelming sense of God’s peace, while others told of love and joy. Wesley said, “And thus far I approved of their experience because agreeable to the written word.”[1]

Others, however, described experiences for which Wesley could find no basis in Scripture. Some, for example, said they felt the blood of Christ running up their arms, or going down their throat, or pounding like warm water upon their chest and heart. Wesley said,

I plainly told them the utmost I could allow, without renouncing both Scripture and reason, was that some of these circumstances might be from God (though I could not affirm they were) working in an unusual manner, no way essential to either justification or sanctification; but that all the rest I must believe to be the mere empty dreams of an heated imagination.[2]

While remaining open to spiritual manifestations, Wesley continually called his followers back to the Scriptures. His standard was,

Try all things by the written word, and let all bow down before it. You’re in danger of enthusiasm every hour, if you depart ever so little from the Scripture: yea; from that plain, literal meaning of any text, taken with the context.[3]

George Whitefield Stays with the Word

Like Wesley, George Whitefield saw many manifestations as the Spirit of God was poured out in his meetings. But, also like Wesley, Whitefield insisted that manifestations be measured against the standard of Biblical truth. In 1729 he wrote a letter Wesley exhorting him to neither require nor encourage outward manifestations. His concern was that such a preoccupation with manifestations would “take people away from the written word.” He wrote,

I think it is tempting God to require such signs. That there is something of God in it, I doubt not. But the devil, I believe, does interpose. I think it will encourage the French Prophets, take people away from the written word, and make them depend on visions, convulsions, etc., more than on the promises and precepts of the gospel.[4]

The Azusa Street Revival

The Azusa Street Revival also had its share of “enthusiasts.” One visitor to the revival wrote that it seemed that every religious crank in Los Angeles found their way to the revival. Nonetheless, William Seymour and other leaders of the revival were wise and mature enough not to swallow every sensational revelation or manifestation that came along. Although spiritual manifestations were encouraged and expected at Azusa Street, all had to pass the test of Biblical truth. The Apostolic Faith (June-Sept., 1907), the official paper of the Azusa Street Mission, carried a statement that read,

We are measuring everything by the Word; every experience must measure up to the Bible. Some say that is going too far, but if we have lived too close to the Word, we will settle that with the Lord when we meet Him in the air.

The saints at Azusa believed that the diligent study of Scripture was the only way that fanaticism and spiritual pride could be avoided. They, therefore, urged their people to make the diligent study of God’s Word a life-long pursuit. The October 1907-January 1908 issue carried a page of questions and answers. One question asked, “Do we need to study the Bible as much after receiving the Holy Ghost?” The response was:

Yes, if not we become fanatical or many times will be led by deceptive spirits and begin to have revelations and dreams contrary to the Word, and begin to prophesy and think ourselves some great one, bigger than some other Christians. But by reading the Bible prayerfully, waiting before God, we become just humble little children, and we never feel that we have got more than the least of God’s children.

The Azusa Street leaders also warned the people against exaggerating their experiences (a warning that is needed today). In the January 1908 issue they published a correction and exhorted the people to be careful about overstating their experiences. They wrote,

Correction: We want to correct some errors that were in the last published report from Portland. It was stated that one hundred were baptized at the evening campmeeting. The saints believe there were not so many. The insane persons that were brought for healing were not fully healed, or else through lack in our faith and through weakness lost their healing. The saints want the simple truth stated about the work. Amen! May no one from any place send in a report that is overstated but rather let it be understated. (January 1908)

So, who are the enthusiasts today? Well, in some cases it is obvious, but we must all look into our own hearts. We must, on the one hand, guard against falling into the extreme of the Zwickau prophets with an undue reliance on feelings, imaginations, signs and manifestations. After all, Satan can perform miraculous signs as is clear from passages such as Mark 13:22 where Jesus said of the last days, For false christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

On the other hand, we must guard against over-reacting to enthusiastic extremes and, thereby, quenching the real work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Tell me what you think.

[1] Wesley, vol. 1 of Works of John Wesley, 426-27, Sept. 6, 1742.
[2] Wesley, vol. 1, 426-27, Sept. 6, 1742.
[3] Wesley, vol. 2 of The Works of John Wesley, 429.
[4] Whitfield, 497.

Some Thoughts on Mysticism

In a recent church gathering a well-known evangelical pastor led his congregation in a “breathing” exercise in which they were exhorted to take “nice, big, deep breaths.” He went on to explain that such breathing exercises, along with meditation, reflection, and silence, have been central to the Christian tradition for thousands of years. He then sought to buttress his argument by pointing out that, “In Yoga, one of the central tenets of Yoga is your breath needs to remain the same regardless of pose. And the Yoga Masters say this is how it is when you follow Jesus and surrender to God.”[i]

Pastor Rob Bell is typical of many today who are looking to the medieval mystics (and to Eastern forms of mysticism) in their search for spiritual reality. But while many of the medieval mystics can be admired for their passion and devotion, they cannot be followed in many of their doctrines and experiences. Being loyal to the medieval church and sharing in its lax (and sometimes hostile) attitude toward Scripture, they often exhibit a glaring lack of discernment and common sense. So while some of their experiences are, no doubt, genuine, many are obviously psychic and some are probably demonic.

Commenting on medieval mysticism and its neglect of Scripture, Dr. Hans Kung, the most widely read Catholic theologian in the world today, says,

These new revelations not only overshadowed the Bible and the Gospel, but also Him whom the Gospel proclaims and to whom the Bible bears witness. It is striking how rarely Christ appeared in all these “revelations,” “apparitions,” and “wonders.” Catholics who followed in the wake of every new “revelation,” which often turned out to be fantasy or deceit, and indulged their desire for sensation by looking for the latest reports of miracles—and yet who had never once in their whole lives read the Scriptures from cover to cover.[ii]

The Origins of Mysticism

Medieval mysticism arose in reaction to the lifeless, outward forms of the medieval church. During the same period evangelical revival groups also emerged for similar reasons. But whereas the revival groups, such as the Waldenses and Albigneses, gave their loyalties to the Scriptures, and looked there for models of faith and spirituality, the mystics tended to give their allegiance to the pope and the institutional church.[iii] This meant that the mystics were more susceptible to non-Biblical approaches to spirituality and this resulted in their adoption of many beliefs and practices that were rooted in pagan, mystical thought, particularly Neoplatonism.

Neoplatonism

Neoplatonism arose in the 3rd century through the Egyptian philosopher, Plotinus, who emphasized and expanded the teachings of Plato and turned Plato’s philosophical system into a mystical religion. Plato had taught that there is a supreme being from which all other beings derive their existence, and he also believed in the immortality of the human soul. Expanding on Plato’s teaching, Plotinus taught that this Supreme Being, whom he called “The One,” was absolutely “other than” this physical world and, therefore, could not be grasped or understood by human reason or knowledge. From “The One” had emanated a series of descending entities resulting in a hierarchy of divine beings between “The One” and humanity. Plotinus believed that it was one of these lesser emanations that had created the physical world. The ultimate goal of the Neoplatonist was, through contemplation of “The One,” to ascend through this hierarchy of beings and be united with “The One.” Since “The One” existed beyond all human knowledge and rationale, “The One” could only be encountered in an irrational state of ecstasy (trance) achieved through mystical contemplation. The noted church historian, Dr. Justo Gonzalez, says,

Neoplatonists believed that if they performed a certain series of progressive steps of contemplation, they would be able to leave behind all the cares and all concerns for physical realities. They thought they could contemplate eternal realities and eventually achieve “ecstasy.” Neoplatonists believed at this point they would be in unity with "The One.”[iv]

Neoplatonism Enters the Church

Neoplatonism became very popular throughout the Greco-Roman world and, as might be expected, many Christians attempted to follow the Neoplatonic route of contemplation. In the 6th century, one of these Neoplatonic minded Christians wrote a treatise on mystical contemplation and at the top penned the words, “Dyonisius the Elder to His Fellow-Elder Timothy.” By this stroke of the pen this unknown individual, now believed to have been a Syrian monk, claimed his writings to be the work of one of Paul’s earliest disciples, Dyonisius of Athens (Acts 17:34), whom tradition says was the first bishop of Athens, written to another early disciple, Timothy. The forgery worked and the works of this individual, now known as “False Dyonisius,” were accepted as the works of one of Paul’s earliest disciples and, thereby, gained much acceptance and authority in the medieval church. So popular became these works that all students of theology were expected to study the wisdom of Dyonisius. Bishops regularly quoted from them and several of the foremost medieval theologians wrote commentaries on them. It was not until the 16th century that the authenticity of these writings began to be questioned by the Reformers. Both Protestants and Catholics now recognize these as later documents written by a “False Dyonisius.”

Nonetheless, during the Middle Ages Paul was read through the eyes of Dyonisius and turned into a mystic by the medieval church. Spiritual experiences and revelations through contemplation were exalted and valued while the Scriptures were often ignored and, at times, even banned by the institutional church.[v] Exotic, non-Biblical miracles such as levitations, communion wafers bleeding, icons weeping, the wounds of the cross (the stigmata) appearing on individuals, apparitions of the saints and the Virgin Mary, etc. were hailed as the great works of God. Paul’s experience of being caught up to the third heaven, which he reluctantly shared in II Corinthians 12:1-6, was interpreted by the mystics as an experience initiated by Paul through mystic contemplation. In fact, “Paul’s entire life was viewed as a process of mystical ascension, and his letters were considered to be guides in that process.”[vi] Within this Neoplatonic, mystical mindset emerged the mystical movement of the medieval church of which the following traits were characteristic.

· A mystical union of the soul with God
· An ascetic withdrawal from the world
· An unhealthy preoccupation with suffering
· The rejection of rational thinking

Characteristic 1:

A Mystical Union of the Soul with God

Like the Neoplatonist, the goal of the Christian medieval mystic was a union of the human soul with God in which the individual would “swim in the wild waves of the ocean of God’s being.”[vii] This mystical union could only be achieved in a state of quietness and contemplation, “the quiet dark in which all who love God lose themselves,” as one mystic put it. As aids in achieving this contemplative state, various postures and techniques for prayer and meditation were employed. Some were quite remarkable. Gregory Palamas, a 13th century monk, stressed quietness and stillness in the pursuit of this union with God. As an aid to concentration, he recommended that the chin rest on the chest, with the eyes fixed on the navel.[viii]

Characteristic 2:

A Withdrawal From the World

In its merger with Monasticism, mysticism took on an ascetic character in which withdrawal from the world and the normal routines of daily life was emphasized. The monastery and the convent thus became the ideal places where mysticism could be studied and applied. In the monastery, Luther diligently sought to find peace with God through ascetic and mystical practices but was frustrated in these attempts. After finding peace with God through the revelation of the gospel in the Scriptures, he wrote, “If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I would have gotten there.”

Characteristic 3:

An Unhealthy Preoccupation with Suffering

An unhealthy preoccupation with suffering characterized medieval mysticism. Some mystics, such as Julian of Norwich (1342-ca.1416), considered one of the greatest English mystics, prayed to be deathly sick, thinking that through such suffering she could better identify with Christ in His sufferings. Not having an opportunity to suffer for Christ, as did the early Christian martyrs, many mystics pursued a self-inflicted martyrdom. For example, Henry Suso (d. 1366), a German Dominican mystic who gained fame for his sanctity and devotion, wore an undergarment studded with 150 sharp tacks that, he said, felt as if he were lying in a nest of wasps. He also made a wooden cross to which he affixed 30 spikes and on this he lay every night for eight years. To intensify his suffering, he affixed seven sharp needles to the cross, and for a long time, he daily inflicted himself with two penitential drills. In these exercises, he would tie the cross to his back and beat upon it with his fist until the spikes and needles penetrated the flesh and the blood flowed down to his feet.[ix]

This unhealthy preoccupation with suffering, and the belief that it produced a cleansing effect on the soul, gave rise to writings such as The Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross (1542–91), a Spanish mystic and close friend of Theresa of Ávila (1515-1584).

Characteristic 4:

The Rejection of Rational Thinking

Medieval mysticism also rejected reason and rational thinking, accessing these as hindrances to the soul achieving unity with God. A work by “False Dyonisius” that gained much fame in the medieval church was a book called Mystic Theology in which he said,

I counsel thee in the earnest exercise of mystic contemplation, that you leave the senses and activities of the intellect and all that the senses or intellect can perceive. Having laid your understanding to rest, strain as far as you can toward a union with Him whom neither being nor understanding can contain. So shall you be led upwards to the Ray of that divine Darkness which surpasses all existence.[x]

The parallels with Neoplatonism, particularly in the rejection of reason and union with the Divine, are obvious. Gonzalez describes this work as, “An explanation of basically Neoplatonic mysticism in which the religious life consists in an ascending vision of God.[xi]

Mysticism Does Not Align with
the Teachings of Jesus & the New Testament.

Of course, neither Jesus nor Paul advocated the rejection of the intellect or rational thinking. In fact, Jesus said that we are to love God with all our . . . minds (Matthew 22:37). Paul’s mode of operation in fulfilling his call to the Gentiles involved the use of logical thinking as he reasoned daily in the synagogues and in the school of Tyrannus concerning the identity of Jesus (Acts 17:2-3; 19:9-10). It is the carnal mind that is against God, not the mind per se. The answer is not to reject the mind and rational thinking, but to renew the mind in God’s Word as Paul admonishes in Romans 12:2. Although God’s Word and Spirit will often transcend human reason, they will never violate it or seek to eliminate it.

Medieval mysticism is out of touch with Jesus and the New Testament in terms of prayer, as well. Jesus does not teach any form of mystical prayer. He does not teach any postures or techniques for prayer and meditation. Neither is there any mention of silence or contemplation. Instead, Jesus emphasizes a relational approach to God in which prayer is simple conversation with a loving, benevolent Being whom He calls Abba, an endearing term used only by children for the father in the Jewish household.

For Jesus, oneness with God is not a mystical union of one’s being with God, but a practical oneness of will and purpose, culminated by the indwelling Holy Spirit and Word of God in one’s life.

Another point of divergence with Jesus and New Testament Christianity is that Jesus does not call His disciples to withdraw from the world into solitude and contemplation. Instead, He sends them into the world and promises a baptism in the Holy Spirit that will empower them to prophetically engage the world as His witnesses (John 17:18; Acts 1:8).

Neither does Jesus teach progressive stages of cleansing through darkness and suffering, as did the mystics. Instead, He shed His Blood to cleanse from sin and its effects. He also emphasizes the Word of God as an agent of cleansing. For example, He says to His disciples, "You are already clean through the word I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). And He prays to the Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth" (John 17:17).

Parallels With Eastern Mysticism

Some have also pointed out the parallels of medieval mysticism with religions of the East—such as Buddhism and Hinduism--that also seek a mystical union of the human soul with the Divine through meditation and contemplation. It is possible that Neoplatonism itself was influenced by Eastern religious thought since there was commercial interaction between India and the Roman Empire, especially in the eastern sector where Neoplatonism arose. This is why Kung says,

And yet we must realize that mysticism is not a specifically Christian phenomenon. Not only is mysticism older than Christianity; it also comes from far away. Mystical religion had already come into being at a very early stage – in the late Vedan period – in India.[xii]

Although many of the mystics can be admired for their commitment and devotion, we must recognize that many of their concepts and approaches to prayer and spirituality are rooted in pagan, mystical religion, i.e., Neoplatonism. The Reformers and Revivalists of the 16th century did not consider the medieval mystics to be their predecessors but, rather, sought to model their faith and spirituality after Jesus and the New Testament. Those who are hungering for spiritual reality in the 21st century would be wise to follow their example.

[i] www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/robbelltranscript.doc
[ii] Hans Kung, The Church (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1976), 257-58.
[iii] See my book, 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2002) for a more thorough discussion of this issue.
[iv] Justo L. Gonzalez, Paul: His Impact On Christianity (Nashville: Graded Press, 1987), 38.
[v] In 1190 Pope Innocent III declared that as by the old law the beast touching the holy mountain was to be stoned to death, so simple and uneducated men were not to touch the Bible or venture to preach its doctrines. Archbishop Berthholdt of Germany echoed Innocent’s ban on the Bible when he declared, “The Scriptures are not to be given to simple and unlearned men and, above all, are not to be put into the hands of women.” In reaction to the evangelical revival groups, who quoted Scripture in defense of their beliefs and practices, the Synod of Toulouse issued a formal ban in 1229 forbidding laypeople to possess copies of the Scripture in their own language.
[vi] Gonzalez, 41.
[vii] Philip Schaff, vol. 6 of History of the Christian Church, 8 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1910), 276.
[viii] Tony Lane, Harper’s Concise Book of Christian Faith (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984), 64.
[ix] Schaff, vol. 6 of History of the Christian Church, 263-64.
[x] Lane, Harper’s Concise Book of Christian Faith, 56.
[xi] Gonzales, 40.
[xii] Hans Kung, Christianity: Essence, History, and Future (New York: Continuum, 1995), 448.

The Impact of Martin Luther & the Reformation on Modern Revivalism

The emphasis by Martin Luther and other Reformers on the ultimate authority of Scripture and the priesthood of all believers opened the way for all the great revivals of the modern era. Luther’s work broke the paralyzing hold of a religious hierarchy that claimed final authority over the people, quenched the work of the Holy Spirit in their midst, and confined Biblical knowledge to the priesthood. His emphasis on the priesthood of all believers unleashed the masses to pray and expect answers from God. If there had been no Luther, there would have been no Methodist revival, no Great Awakenings, no Cane Ridge, and no Pentecostal-Charismatic revival.

Luther’s Early Life

Luther was born into a poor, peasant German family where he was taught to pray to God and the saints, to revere the church and the priests, and was told frightful stories about the devil and witches. One day, at the age of 22, he was caught outdoors in a terrible thunderstorm and feared for his life. In a state of panic, he made a vow to become a monk if his life was spared. True to his vow he entered the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt that same year of 1505.

As a monk, Luther’s chief concern was to become a saint and earn a place in heaven. He, therefore, observed the minutest details of discipline, living a very austere life and learning the principles of mystical prayer and meditation. His days were spent in reading and studying, prayer and fastings, night watches, and self-mortifications. His fellow monks held him up as a model of sanctity and envied his self-denial. He later said, “If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I would have gotten there.” However, in spite his austere lifestyle and many religious works he found no peace with God.

While a monk, Luther continued his studies and in 1507 he was ordained to the priesthood and celebrated his first mass. In In 1511 he was sent to Wittenberg to be the professor of Bible at the newly formed university there, and, in the same year, he received his doctor of theology degree. He began to lecture in the vernacular on the books of the Bible and, to do so intelligently, he began to study the Bible in the original languages. It was while teaching through the New Testament, particualarly Romans and Galatians, that Luther began to see the truth of justification through faith in Jesus alone.

Luther Learns the Power of God’s Word

It was the power of God’s word, and the revelation therein, of being made righteous before God through faith in Jesus that brought Luther into a place of peace with God. Romans 1:17 convinced him that only through faith in Christ could a person become just before God and find peace in their soul. This was revolutionary, for the church taught that one was saved through submisison to the church and by receiving the sacraments from an ordained priesthood; and the mystics, who were genreally loyal to the institutional church and its doctrines, taught that one could only find peace with God through a mytical union of the soul with God obtained through a series of religious exercises and intense suffering.

Luther, being also the parish priest in Wittenberg, preached these revolutionary doctrines of salvation through faith alone from the pulpit as well as in the classroom. It was not long before his sermons were being printed and distributed throughout Germany, arousing great interest among the masses and great consternation with church officials. Ordered by his superiors to stop preaching and publishing these “heretical” doctirnes, Luther had to decide if he would obey God or man. By now it was clear to him that his source of authority was the word of God and that he must preach it even if the devil and all the world opposed him.

When he continued to preach and teach the truths he had learned from Scripture, he received notice from Rome of his excommunication and an order that all his books and tracts be confiscated and burned. He was later condemned as a heretic at the Diet of Worms and anyone knowing his whereabouts was instructed to inform the nearest authorities so that he could be apprehended.

Luther’s writings, however, gained such popularity with the masses that neither pope or emperor dared to try and apprehend him. Later in life, in explaining how he was able to succeed against such formidable opposition, Luther credited his success to the power of God’s word. He said,

"I only urged, preached, and declared God’s Word, nothing else. And yet while I was asleep, the Word inflicted greater injury on popery than prince or emperor ever did. I did nothing; the Word did everything."[i]

Confronting An Errant Sprituality With Scripture

Luther confronted, not only erroneous doctrine and the church hierarchy with Scripture, but also an errant spirituality that had become divorced from Scripture. While Luther was hiding in the Castle of Wartburg after his condmenation at the Diet of Worms, two indiviudals from Zwickau, known as the Zwickau Prophets, came to Wittenberg claiming to have had divine visions, dreams, and visits from the angel Gabriel. They wowed the people with their revelations and began taking the reform movement in Wittenberg in a radical direction that was not compatible with Scripture. Melanchthon and Luther’s other colleagues were unable to stop them.

When Luther heard what was happening, he put his life at risk and returned to Wittenberg. He preached eight sermons for eight days in succession in which he challenged with Scripture the visions and dreams of the prophets from Zwickau. Schaff says, “In plain, clear, strong, scriptural language, he refuted the errors without naming the errorists.”[ii] It soon became obvious to the populace that the two men were in error. The prophets, realizing they had lost the day, departed Wittenberg and never returned. One of Luther’s colleagues wrote to the Elector of that region,

"Oh what joy has Dr. Martin’s return spread among us. His words, through divine mercy, are bringing back every day misguided people into the way of truth. It is as clear as the sun, that the Spirit of God is in him, and that he returned to Wittenberg by His special providence."[iii]

Luther was open to supernatural, mystical experiences, but he subjugated his experiences to Scripture. For example, while in intense prayer one day, Luther suddenly saw a bright vision on the wall of Jesus, with the wounds of His passion, looking upon him. At first he thought it was a heavenly revelation but changed his mind because the person in the vision was not compatible with the Christ he knew from Scripture. He said,

"Therefore I spoke to the vision thus: 'Avoid you, confounded devil. I know no other Christ than He who was crucified, and who in His Word is presented unto me.' Whereupon the image vanished, clearly demonstrating from whom it came."[iv]

Opposing Miracle Claims for Monetary Gain

Luther also challenged the Roman Church hierarchy for using miracle claims within monasticism and mystcism for monetary gain. Luther believed in miracles, but miracles must be in line with Scripture. In his estimation, many of the miracle claims within monasticism and mysticism did not meet the test of Biblical truth.

For example, in his book, To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, Luther blasted church leaders for exaggerating the truth and promoting extra-Biblical miracles, such as certain hosts (communion wafers) bleeding and the miraculous creation of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Great crowds flocked to the places where these miracles supposedly occurred and much money was collected in offerings, in fees for masses, and from the sale of amulets and indulgences. Luther was incensed and thundered his rebuke,

"Oh, what a terrible and heavy reckoning those bishops will have to give who permit this devilish deceit and profit by it. They should be the first to prevent it and yet they regard it all as a godly and holy thing. If they had read the Scripture as well as the damnable canon law, they would know how to deal with this matter! The miracles that happen in these places prove nothing, for the evil spirit can also work miracles, as Christ has told us in Matt. 24:24."

Luther’s Personal Faith in the Miraculous

Luther believed in miracles and saw miraculous answers to his prayers. He even formulated a divine healing service for Lutheran congregations. When his friend and colleague, Philip Melanchthon, was dying, Luther prayed over him, quoting all the Scirptures he could call to mind related to faith and healing. He then took Melanchthon by the hand and said, "Be of good courage Philip, you shall not die." Melanchthon immediately revived and soon regained his health. He later said, "I should have been a dead man had I not been recalled from death itself by the coming of Luther."[v] The noted historian, Philip Schaff said, “He lived and moved in the heart of the Scriptures; and this was the secret of his strength.”[vi] Luther himself once said,

"What greater wickedness, what greater contempt of God is there than not believing His promise? For what is this but to make God a liar or to doubt that He is truthful?—that is, to ascribe truthfulness to one’s self but lying and vanity to God."[vii]

Reformation Opened the Way For Revival

It was no coincidence that the Reformation, with its emphasis on Scripture, came on the heels of the invention of the printing press, with the Bible being the first book to be printed. For the first time in history God’s word could be mass-produced and made available to the common people. With the word of God now available on a scale hitherto unknown, Luther and other reformers emphasized education for the masses, primarily so they could read the Bible. They saw getting God’s word into the hands and hearts of the people as the key to on-going reformation throughout the Church. The Reformation and its emphases also opened the way for all the great revivals of the modern era.

The invention of the printing press and Luther’s success in directing the church’s attention back to Scripture did more to change the course of history than any events since the birth of Christ and the conversion of the apostle Paul. Even secular historians understand this and Time Warner, in the year 2000, named Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press and Luther’s instigation of the Reformation as the number 1 and number 3 most important events of the past millennia.

[i] Philip Schaff, vol. 7 of History of the Christian Church, 8 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1910), 389.
[ii] Schaff, vol. 6 of History of the Christian Church, 388.
[iii] Schaff, vol. 6 of History of the Christian Church, 390.
[iv] Martin Luther, Table Talk (Gainsville, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2004), 138-39.
[v] A.J. Gordon, The Ministry of Healing, (Harrisburg: Christian Publ., 1961), 94.
[vi] Schaff, vol. 7 of History of the Christian Church, 295.
[vii] Martin Luther, “The Freedom Of A Christian,” Three Treatises (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1957), 285.